Plumbing fixture



Nov. 9, 1965 F. H. ROLL PLUMBING FIXTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1963 Finas H Ral/ IN VENI'OR.

My 5 Attorney:

Nov. 9, 1965 F. H. ROLL 3,216,025

PLUMBING FIXTURE Filed March 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2

Fig. 3

F inas h. Roll IN V/[N TOR.

United States Patent 3,216,025 PLUMBING FIXTURE Finas H. Roll, RED. 2, Versailles, Mo. Filed Mar. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 267,547 3 Claims. (Cl. 4192) The present invention generally relates to roughed in plumbing, and is more particularly concerned with a plumbing fixture or unit wherein two water supply lines and a drainpipe can be installed as a unit between adjacent studs in, for example, a bathroom or kitchen.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a prefabricated unit for enabling the simple and rapid roughing in of normally provided plumbing lines.

In conjunction with this object, it is also an object of the present invention to provide unique bracing means for rigidly interconnecting two water supply lines and a drainpipe in a predetermined spaced parallel relation to each other, these braces incorporating means therein for enabling the rapid securement thereof to the outer faces of a pair of adjacent studs.

In regard to these braces, it is also an object of the present invention to provide such with offset portions within which the plumbing lines are to be secured thus enabling an attachment of the braces to the front faces of the adjoining studs with the plumbing lines being offset rearwardly thereof thus maintaining the desired flush outer surface of the wall, that is, the plumbing lines are positioned completely within the wall such as is normally done in conventional installations.

It is also a significant object of the present invention .to provide a prefabricated unit wherein the desired relationship between the various lines will be insured.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the plumbing unit of the present invention installed between two adjacent studs;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on a plane passing along line 3-3 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of the uppermost brace member; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of the other type of brace member utilized at both the center and bottom of the unit of FIGURE 1.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, reference numeral is used to generally designate the entire plumbing unit or fixture which is to be installed between adjacent studs 12 thus resulting in a rapid roughing in of both a pair of water supply lines 14 and a drainpipe 16 which constitute a portion of the unit 10.

The unit 10, in addition to the supply lines 14 and drainpipe 16, also includes three vertically spaced braces 18, 20 and 22, the braces 20 and 22 being exactly alike.

The brace 18, consisting of an elongated fiat iron strap, includes an intermediate offset portion 24 of a length only slightly less than the distance between adjacent studs, this offset portion 24 consisting of two spaced laterally projecting legs 26 interconnected by a straight flat bight portion 28. As will be appreciated from FIGURE 1, this brace 18 is to be positioned above the upper end elbow 30 on the drainpipe 16 and is to have the two supply lines 14 secured thereto, this being effected by the provision of two pairs of spaced holes 32 with a drop ear T 34 bolted to each pair of holes 32 by threaded bolts 36. The brace Patented Nov. 9, 1965 18 is subsequently secured to the adjacent studs 12 by means of driven fasteners 38 provided through pairs of .apertures 40 through each end portion 42 thereof.

The intermediate brace 20 is positioned slightly below the upper end of the drainpipe 16 and includes three rearwardly offset portions 44, each consisting of a pair of laterally projecting parallel spaced legs 46 having the outer ends thereof interconected by a bulbous portion 48 of a size so as to snugly receive the lines 14 and pipe 16 therein, it of course being recognized that the bulbous portion 48 receiving the drainpipe 16 is slightly large than those portions 48 receiving the supply lines 14. In order to effect a tight clamping of the lines 14 and pipe 16, threaded bolts 50 are provided through aligned apertures 52 in each pair of legs 46 with a drawing together of these legs 46 being effected by a nut 54 threaded on the bolt 50, this drawing together of the legs 46 resulting in a clamping of the lines 14 or pipe 16 within the bulbous section.

The brace 22, similar in every detail to the brace 20, is positioned below the brace 20 and slightly above the lower ends of the lines 14 and pipe 16 so as to be orientated above the floor 56 upon an installation of the unit 10. It will be noted that the braces 20 and 22 include, similar to the brace 18, a pair of nail receiving holes 58 at each end thereof.

In assembling the unit 10, the lines 14 and pipe 16 are arranged in a predetermined relation to each other and fixed in this arrangement by the braces 18, 20 and 22, thus requiring, in the actual installation of the unit 10, only the drilling of the floor holes 60, the insertion of the lower ends of the lines 14 and pipe 16 therethrough, the vertical adjustment of the unit 10 therein, and the driving of nails through the bracket nail holes 40 and 58. To further simplify the installation of the unit 10, it is contemplated that the lower brace 22 be positioned longitudinally at a predetermined point whereby upon the attaching of this brace 22 to the adjacent studs 12 at a specific point in relation to the floor surface 56, the proper orientation of the line and pipe fittings will be assured. In fact, if so desired, this lower brace 22 can be positioned so as to have its lower edge correspond with the upper surface of the floor 56 thus enabling use of this brace 22 as a means for stabilizing the unit 10 during the driving of the nails. Because of the fixed securing of the lines 14 and pipe 16 relative to each other, if so desired, the unit 10 can be positioned between the studs 12 prior to the boring of the holes 60 so as to provide an exact pattern for these holes, the unit 10 of course being removed during the boring of the holes. Also of significance is the fact that even after the braces 20 and 22 are secured, a vertical adjustment of the lines 14 and pipe 16 can be effected by a loosening of the clamping bolts 50 if such is necessary for a proper aligning of the various members.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A prefabricated plumbing unit for roughing in plumbing, comprising a pair of elongated parallel water supply lines, an elongated drainpipe, said drainpipe being orientated between, parallel to, and spaced from said supply lines, the upper end of said drainpipe terminating below the upper ends of said supply lines, a pair of spaced braces extending transversely of said supply lines, and drainpipe, means on said pair of braces rigidly securing said lines and pipe in the aforementioned spaced relation, the end portions of each brace extending laterally beyond the adjoining supply lines, a third transversely extending brace positioned above the upper end of the drainpipe, the pair of water supply lines being secured thereto, the end portions of said third brace extending laterally beyond the adjoining supply lines, the means on said pair of braces rigidly securing said lines and pipe consisting of laterally offset portions each formed so as to present a pair of spaced parallel laterally projecting legs terminating in an enlarged bulbous portion engaged about the adjoining plumbing conduit, and adjusting means engaged with said legs for varying the effective size of the bulbous portion, that portion of the third brace to which the supply lines are secured being offset laterally on the same side as and for substantially the same distance as the first mentioned offset portions.

2. The structure of claim 1 including a T on each supply line, each T having laterally projecting ears thereon, and means engaged through the ears and third brace so as to secure the supply lines to the third brace.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the lower ends of the supply lines and drain pipe are substantially aligned.

References (Iited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 796,178 8/05 Beaton 248-57 1,115,696 1l/14 Linbarger 4191 XR 2,238,003 4/41 Wilkinson 248-68 XR 2,295,888 9/42 Bucknell et al.

2,394,240 2/46 Harrison 248-68 2,535,427 12/50 Kindorf 248-68 2,729,414 1/56 Clark.

3,009,167 11/61 Leonard 419l 3,084,349 4/63 Sundblad et a1. 4192 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD V. BENHAM, LEWIS J. LENNY, Examiners. 

1. A PREFABRICATED PLUMBING UNIT FOR ROUGHING IN PLUMBING, COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATED PARALLEL WATER SUPPLY LINES, AN ELONGATED DRAINPIPE, SAID DRAINPIPE BEING ORIENTATED BETWEEN, PARALLEL TO, AND SPACED FROM SAID SUPPLY LINES, THE UPPER END OF SAID DRAINPIPE TERMINATING BELOW THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID SUPLY LINES, A PAIR OF SPACED BRACES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SUPPLY LINES, AND DRAINPIPE, MEANS ON SAID PAIR OF BRACES RIGIDLY SECURING SAID LINES AND PIPE IN THE AFOREMENTIONED SPACED RELATION, THE END PORTIONS OF EACH BRACE EXTENDING LATERALLY BEYOND THE ADJONING SUPPLY LINES, A THIRD TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING BRACE POSITIONED ABOVE THE UPPER END OF THE DRAINPIPE, THE PAIR OF WATER SUPPLY LINES BEING SECURED THERETO, THE END PORTIONS OF SAID THIRD BRACE EXTENDING LATERALLY BEYOND THE ADJOINING SUPPLY LINES, THE MEANS ON SAID PAIR OF BRACES RIGIDLY SECURING SAID LINES AND PIPE CONSISTING OF LATERALLY OFFSET PORTIONS EACH FORMED SO AS TO PRESENT A PAIR OF SPACED PARALLEL LATERALLY PROJECTING LEGS TERMINATING IN AN ENLARGED BULBOUS PORTION ENGAGED ABOUT THE ADJOINING PLUMBING CONDUIT, AND ADJUSTING MEANS ENGAGED WITH SAID LEGS FOR VARING THE EFFECTIVE SIZE OF THE BULBOUS PORTION, THAT PORTION OF THE THIRD BRACE TO WHICH THE SUPPLY LINES ARE SECURED BEING OFFSET LATERALLY ON THE SAME SIDE AS AND FOR SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DISTANCE AS THE FIRST MENTIONED OFFSET PORTIONS. 